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1949 anti-NATO riot in Iceland
supporters, and police. The windows of the House of the Althing have been smashed. March 30th 1949.]] The Icelandic NATO riot of March 30, 1949 is arguably the most famous riot in Icelandic history. It was prompted by the decision of Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament, to join the newly formed NATO, thereby involving Iceland directly in the Cold War, opposing the Soviet Union and re-militarizing the country. The protesters first convened behind a school in the centre of Reykjavík and then marched on Austurvöllur, a small park in front of the parliament building, where a throng of people had already arrived positioning themselves between the parliament and the rioters, intending to defend it. At first the demonstrators were calm, but when a leading member of the Socialist Party announced over a loudspeaker that the leader of his party was held hostage inside the Parliament building, things became violent. Rocks were tossed at the building, some breaking the windows and one narrowly missing the head of the Parliamentary president, until the Reykjavík police force, aided by volunteers from the Independence Party intervened, beating rioters down and eventually launching tear gas grenades at the mob. No official estimate exists of the number of participants, but photographic evidence clearly shows that thousands of people were present. Aftermath after dispersing the crowd with tear gas.]] The details of this event have largely been obscured by opposing opinions and lack of neutrality in discussion. Despite violent opposition, Iceland's membership in NATO was confirmed. After the event, protests by anti-NATO activists were commonplace. The left parties in 1950s and 1960s parliamentary elections promised to put an end to the bilateral U.S.-Icelandic Defence Agreement but dropped these promises after becoming part of the ruling coalitions. The slogan "Iceland out of NATO and the Army out!" ("Ísland úr NATO og herinn burt!") became a part of Icelandic culture. It has however largely lost its meaning after 2006 when the US Navy left the military base that had been run at Keflavík airport since the end of World War II (Icelandic diplomat Einar Benediktsson points out that in fact the decision to end the American military presence in Iceland was taken at the United States in early 1990s and it was the Iceland government who persuaded the U.S. Air Force to stay for another decade or longer). Right leaning historians, such as Þór Whitehead, consider the riot as an attempted coup d'état by the communist minority. The failure of the coup d'état is then generally attributed to the number of civilians willing to protect the parliament and the skills of the Icelandic Police who had, just a few years before, pacified the Victory Day riot in 1945 where thousands of Allied soldiers and sailors went berserk in Reykjavík, celebrating the victory over Nazi Germany. File:People gather in front of the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949.jpg|People gather in front of the House of the Althing. File:Police are prepared for trouble in front of the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949..jpg|Police are prepared for trouble in front of the House of the Althing. File:Overview over Austurvöllur, in front of the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949..jpg|Overview over Austurvöllur, in front of the House of the Althing File:Overview over Austurvöllur and the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949..jpg|Overview over Austurvöllur and the House of the Althing. File:Overview over Austurvöllur, Reykjavik Cathedral and the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949..jpg|Overview over Austurvöllur, Reykjavik Cathedral and the House of the Althing. File:People gather for a meeting at the old school, by Tjörnin in downtown Reykjavik..jpg|People gather for a meeting at the old school, by Tjörnin in downtown Reykjavik File:In the throng in front of the House of the Althing, during anti-NATO protests..jpg|In the throng in front of the House of the Althing during anti-NATO protests. File:Fighting breaks out between anti- and pro-NATO supporters, and police..jpg|Fighting breaks out between anti- and pro-NATO supporters, and police. The windows of the House of the Althing have been smashed. File:People flee from tear gas unleashed by police..jpg|People flee from tear gas unleashed by police. File:Policemen in gas masks guard Austurvöllur after dispersing the crowd with tear gas..jpg|Policemen in gas masks guard Austurvöllur after dispersing the crowd with tear gas. References See also * Alþingi * Angels of the Universe (a novel whose protagonist is born during the riot) * Kitchenware Revolution External links * A picture of the riots from Morgunblaðið. Anti-NATO riot in Iceland Anti-NATO riot in Iceland Category:Political riots Category:Protests in Iceland Category:Riots and civil disorder in Iceland Category:NATO relations Category:NATO installations in Iceland